Good public financial management system essential for implementation of policies: AGP

ISLAMABAD: Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) Javaid Jehangir has said that a good public financial management system is essential for the implementation of policies and the achievement of developmental objectives by supporting aggregate fiscal discipline, strategic allocation of resources and efficient service delivery.

He stated this while meeting with the delegation of World Bank in AGP office on Monday.

The AGP said that SAI Pakistan is keen to work with World Bank and other stakeholders for introducing and implementing reforms in public financial management and auditing, as well as to explore future opportunities to deepen engagement for strengthening the working of the department.

Department of Auditor General of Pakistan (DAGP) is actively pursuing its strategic reforms agenda which sets out the strategic direction for reforms based on evidential assessment, reforms landscape, and overarching vision of the charter of good governance. This strategy envisages an enabling legal and regulatory framework for the internalisation and sustainability of the reforms initiatives, Javaid said.

He further said that DAGP led accountability gives confidence to the public that their resources are rightfully utilised and assets are well guarded. The donor organisations, countries and international development partners also repose their trust in the AGP for the accountability of their loans and grants, he added.

He said that the department has been striving to introduce modern audit techniques and technologies, and has upgraded its audit manuals, field audit and reporting guidelines, and introduced audit command language (ACL). “The procurement of audit management information system (AMIS) is also underway,” the AGP said.

Javaid further said that these initiatives will radically change the core auditing processes. Therefore, the entire audit processes would be built around modern techniques and technologies, he added.

The professional capacity of human resource at all levels is also being developed to address current, emerging and future audit challenges, AGP said.

World Bank delegates reiterated their commitment towards mutual cooperation with SAI Pakistan for bringing all stakeholders on board and set realistic goals and work on issues of mutual interest. They said that one of the World Bank’s strategic pillars is to improve transparency and service delivery through robust PFM at the national and local government levels.

The delegates said that the independence of SAI Pakistan needs to be ensured as the aim of SAI is to provide a meaningful check on the executive.